General non league chat, match reports, photos etc

[Bugpowder Dust]

Ever wanted to watch a match at the Crystal Palace arena? Nows your chance

 

[Cat Daisy]

Ever wanted to watch a match at the Crystal Palace arena? Nows your chance

Yes, this looked enticing. Mind you, only 300 seats and no tickets being sold in advance so get there early (or settle for looking at the Victorian dinosaurs).
BTW wasn't there a team that started playing there a couple of years back but then went bust or got chucked out of their league?

 

[Nivag]

Yes, this looked enticing. Mind you, only 300 seats and no tickets being sold in advance so get there early (or settle for looking at the Victorian dinosaurs).
BTW wasn't there a team that started playing there a couple of years back but then went bust or got chucked out of their league?

If you don't get a ticket you can always stand where that photo was taken or the sports centre side and watch the game from there

 

[Al Crane]

Yes, this looked enticing. Mind you, only 300 seats and no tickets being sold in advance so get there early (or settle for looking at the Victorian dinosaurs).
BTW wasn't there a team that started playing there a couple of years back but then went bust or got chucked out of their league?

AC London

 

[Pink Panther]

If you don't get a ticket you can always stand where that photo was taken or the sports centre side and watch the game from there

You can easily get a full view of the pitch from various vantage points within the public park, although you'll be a long way from the action.

 

[keith1]

I was one of the match officials when Croydon played a friendly there on the Saturday before the latest lockdown with only club officials from the two teams allowed to attend. As we returned to the changing room at half time we were followed by a few of them as apparently the only toilet facilities available was the disabled toilet in the changing room area.

So if anybody is planning to attend, I hope you can manage without the toilet for the whole match.

 

[mx wcfc]

No restart yet for Steps 3&4. Review on 16 Dec. Earliest games night be 19 December.

Season 2020/21 Restart - The Southern League

The Southern Football League, The Southern League, Football League in England forms part of the National League System, participating at steps 3 and 4.

southern-football-league.co.uk

Part of the problem seems to be that even even if clubs could let limited crowds in, bars etc can't open, and clubs can't exist on gate money alone.

 

[Pink Panther]

I was one of the match officials when Croydon played a friendly there on the Saturday before the latest lockdown with only club officials from the two teams allowed to attend. As we returned to the changing room at half time we were followed by a few of them as apparently the only toilet facilities available was the disabled toilet in the changing room area.

So if anybody is planning to attend, I hope you can manage without the toilet for the whole match.

They got some portaloos in and the attendance at kick-off time was 212.

Croydon won a thrilling tie 4-3 after going three goals behind, then missing a penalty, by half time. They visit Peckham Town in the next round.

 

[EDC]

Any idea when that is, are fans allowed?

 

[Pink Panther]

Any idea when that is, are fans allowed?

Peckham have been allowed up to 300 fans so far. Both clubs are in leagues that have suspended fixtures until Christmas (as most member clubs are in Kent) so it could be within the next couple of weeks if that suits both clubs.

 

[pompeydunc]

Peckham have been allowed up to 300 fans so far. Both clubs are in leagues that have suspended fixtures until Christmas (as most member clubs are in Kent) so it could be within the next couple of weeks if that suits both clubs.

LFA says next round is 20 February, but guess it could be brought forward, but not heard anything. 300 limit doesn't apply to step 7 and below, but I think that's because nobody would have expected a team at that level to get close to that figure. I don't think any club will now given that elite football is back, except Clapton CFC maybe who have self imposed a 300 limit.

 

[Pink Panther]

Croydon won a thrilling tie 4-3 after going three goals behind, then missing a penalty, by half time. They visit Peckham Town in the next round.

I couldn't get my photos to upload before:

 

[EDC]

Is that a new ground for you?

 

[Pink Panther]

Is that a new ground for you?

Yes. It was a venue seriously considered by our club when Meadow locked us out. I reckon we might have got close to 5,000 if the play-off final had been there as it's so much closer to Dulwich, plus the novelty value for Palace fans (site of the club's original ground) and neutrals, plus great transport links. The pitch is terrible though.

 

[pompeydunc]

LFA says next round is 20 February, but guess it could be brought forward, but not heard anything. 300 limit doesn't apply to step 7 and below, but I think that's because nobody would have expected a team at that level to get close to that figure. I don't think any club will now given that elite football is back, except Clapton CFC maybe who have self imposed a 300 limit.

Update - Trophy match will be at 1.30 (time TBC) on Saturday 19 December.

 

[Pink Panther]

Update - Trophy match will be at 1.30 on Saturday 19 December.

That's a potential FA Trophy date for the Hamlet but barely any matches were played in the previous round last weekend (many have been rescheduled for this evening) then the next round (the stage at which we enter) is due to be played next Tuesday 15 December, with the following round only 4 days later.

 

[Bugpowder Dust]

Corinthian Casuals v Walton Casuals in the Trophy is off after Walton withdrew from the comp. Cue sighs of relief from the local riot police...

 

[StephenMac]

Corinthian Casuals v Walton Casuals in the Trophy is off after Walton withdrew from the comp. Cue sighs of relief from the local riot police...

Yep, very likely for the best. Especially if it goes to penalties and the stewards are sleeping on the job again.

 

[Pink Panther]

Corinthian Casuals v Walton Casuals in the Trophy is off after Walton withdrew from the comp. Cue sighs of relief from the local riot police...

I think there's an issue for some Step 3 and 4 clubs who have furloughed their players. They can't play now unless they take the players off furlough and continue paying them until the league fixtures resume on Saturday week. I don't understand why those leagues aren't resuming this weekend. Then of course there's the separate issue of dozens of clubs in Kent and the North now being banned from admitting supporters. It's all rather a mess.

 

[PartisanDulwich]

 

[editor]

Fair enough:

Folkestone Invicta release statement explaining that they aren't going to play for at least a month- on safety grounds

Folkestone Invicta last night released a statement, signed by Chairman Paul Morgan, confirming that they won't be playing any football until mid January at the earliest.

The decision, which was made after a meeting of the club board- including manager Neil Cugley- has met with approval from the club's supporters on social media. Morgan explains:
"As you all know we are in Tier 3 and we have been put in Tier 3 for a reason. The board of directors got together to discuss the situation and we all agree not to play any games until the mid to end of January at the earliest."

It goes on:
"This decision was not taken lightly. All we want is you, the supporters, the players and the officials of this fantastic club to be safe- and if we played any games at the moment we would be putting your lives, the players lives and the officials lives at risk, and we are not prepared to do that. I hope you all agree with our decision and we all look forward getting you back to the ground watching football soon- but only when it is safe to do so."

Read the entire statement here.

Invicta call a halt to football - The Pitching In Isthmian Football League

Folkestone Invicta release statement explaining that they aren't going to play for at least a month- on safety grounds

www.isthmian.co.uk

 

[blueheaven]

Completely fair. I'm actually surprised we haven't seen more instances of clubs - or even individual players - saying that they're not willing to play.

 

[Roger D]

Neil Baker has temporarily stepped down as joint manage at Slough. Sadly his father, older fans may remember Keith as a player for Farnborough at the end of his career, is battling incurable cancer. Neil has decided the risk of exposing his father to Covid caught via football is too high and has stepped back.

Best wishes to the Baker family and anyone else caught in a similar position. Sadly, this includes my own family. We have also had to make a few changes to minimize risk to others.

 

[pinknblue]

Neil Baker has temporarily stepped down as joint manage at Slough. Sadly his father, older fans may remember Keith as a player for Farnborough at the end of his career, is battling incurable cancer. Neil has decided the risk of exposing his father to Covid caught via football is too high and has stepped back.

Best wishes to the Baker family and anyone else caught in a similar position. Sadly, this includes my own family. We have also had to make a few changes to minimize risk to others.

I've been so impressed with how Neil Baker presents himself in interviews and how he sets up his teams up to play football. I think he'd make an excellent manager for Dulwich if the position ever becomes available. Very best wishes to him and also to you and your family, Roger. Keep safe over Christmas everyone.

 

[Argonia]

Sorry I'm a bit dim are there no relegations from the National League this season and no promotions from North and South?

 

[Pink Panther]

Sorry I'm a bit dim are there no relegations from the National League this season and no promotions from North and South?

That's correct.

 

[mx wcfc]

I haven't really been following the Step 4 non-league re-organisation, but someone has come up with some "best guess" maps, on Twitter.

"This is the best guesstimate for Step 4 https://google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?hl=en&ll=52.44314436148919%2C-2.0024553942740964&z=8&mid=1-d0bqIcl63EmQf8098lYX2A75DSJgT0P… Please note these are the best guesses & there will remain 1 vacancy @ Step 4 There are variables which may change this projection"

Assuming this goes ahead, Winchester City will be on the western edge of their new league, rather than the eastern edge of the old Southern Div 1 South. Our longest away trip would be Whyteleafe at 75 miles, compared to our current 150 mile trips to Bideford and Barnstaple, and 100 mile trip to Evesham.

I haven't seen any commentary from the club yet, but this looks pretty good to me. I guess there will be losers too.

 

[Roger D]

Fans of a certain vintage may remember trips to Egham Town. Their stand burnt down on May 4th in what is believed to be an arson attack.

My main memory of Egham was Mishi getting embroiled in a bizarre online spat. One Egham fan impersonated Mishi online and abused another Egham fan. The lad fell for it and turned up on the then Hamlet forum abusing Mishi, who was totally oblivious to what was going on and totally innocent.

 

[EDC]

I saw a Non-League Match in Spain today, C.F. Borriol v A.C.D. Benicense in the Primera Regional Group 1, This Division of 14 clubs is in the Province of Valencia and Group 1 based around Castellon with the longest journey about 70km. Many matches are really local though, towns next to each other, one or two in the same larger towns.

The stadiums from what I've seen and today was no different are pretty basic, a covered section on one side and that's about it, bar, toilets and knowing many of the towns most of the clubs are in very picturesque locations with mountain backdrops one one side and if you're lucky the Med on the other. Plastic pitch, multi use markings as from what I understand from Twitter all the clubs' various levels, Cadete, Infantil, Benjamin (? probably reserves, youth, something like that) all play their matches throughout the day more often than not against the same visitors so a very well organised league..

It wasn't my game of choice as the one I wanted to go to got postposed earlier in the week as one of the home players tested positive so this town is about 5 or so miles from where I am, the next village but one. I had to fill out a proposed attendance form on line which was checked at the gate, free admission, hand sanitiser before entry and masks worn throughout. Social distancing was stipulated but as usual groups of youths hung out together in a crowd of around 100 at a guess.

No Linesmen!!! No contested decisions, players didn't mess around about throw ins or corners and at times very good quality, probably on par with the standard at Peckham Town but some very good individual performers too. The pitch was difficult though, too fast and unforgiving, every slightly overplayed pass going out of play or lost possession.

A well contested 2-2 draw, Borriol scored early from a corner very similar to the three East Thurrock scored in the play off final, whipped in hard with the wind which was blowing quite a bit at the time but died down as the match went on. Benicense equalized half way through the first period with a comical goal when the scorer had ages to pick anywhere to aim at, miskicked with it going wide but it got deflected in. They took the lead late on with a cross shot and Borriol equalised with quality finish but then missed a penalty in the last couple of minutes which hit the crossbar.

Very enjoyable. I do have photos but no able to upload them at present.

I've been following the league with interest and it's now got to a very exciting stage. It carried on from when I visited until the rising Covid-19 numbers in Spain caused a halt in proceedings with around ten matched played and then re-started (without spectators) fairly recently until thirteen matches, one against each club in the league had been completed.

Promotion, one club up and relegation with three clubs down to the lowest amateur league level in Spanish football is being decided in the form of play-offs divided into two mini leagues of seven teams by cutting the table in half. Each club will play six matches in their league with the points added to those already won.

C.F Borriol are currently second bottom on the same points as (my club) and local rivals C.F. Vilafames after Borriol won at Vilafames on Sunday. It's looking pretty desperate for both clubs who are still a couple of points behind fourth bottom.

I've found a very good Twitter feed @femfutbolcs for up to date news who also does a website femfutbolcastello.wordpress.com where you can get the gist of it using Google translate.

 

[Roger D]

Fisher have confirmed fans are permitted at their London Senior Cup match v Hanwell Town on Saturday May 22nd for those who want to catch a match.

The capacity is 650 so it is pay on the day. They prefer card payment on the turnstile, the club house remains closed and they ask social distancing is adhered to inside the ground.